Draft-controller.



T E. BUCK.-

DRAFT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-15.1915. j ggfjfitii latented Jan. 8, 1918.

TURNEY E. BUCK, 0F SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

DRAFT-CONTROLLER.

Application filed December 15, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TUnxnY E. BUCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Draft-Controller, of which the following is a specification.

The invention is applicable to steam locomotives and relates to a system of fluid-operated valves and connections adapted to control the draft in the smoke-box 0f the locomotive.

The purposes of the invention are: to provide in conjunction with a working-pressure valve adapted to remain closed under the normal predetermined working pressure and adapted to open automatically under steam pressure somewhat greater than the normal working pressure and less than the extreme pressure which is necessary to operate the safety valve; automatically operat' ingmeans for checking the draft in the fire box during thetime that the steam pressure in the boiler is greater than the normal working pressure and less than the extreme safe pressure, thereby preventing frequent and unnecessary blowing oil through the safety valve.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawing and will be hereinafter described and the novel features thereof will be recited in the claim.

Figure l is a diagramshowing the apparatus in place on a locomotive.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic view, partly in section, showing the details of the several valves and appurtenances, and Fig.

3 is a diagram showing the position of the air-intake in the smoke box.

The same reference numerals designate like parts in the different views.

The boiler l, the smoke box 2 and the compressed-air reservoir 3 may be of any usual or approved construction.

The working-pressure valve 4 and the safety valve 5 are in communication with the steam space of the boiler. The valve 4 is adapted to open when the predetermined working pressure is exceeded. The valve 5 may be of any approved construction adapted to open when the maximum safe steam pressure is exceeded. The valve 17 is in communication with the air reservoir 3 through the pipe 8. The construction and cooperation of valves 4 andl? will be clescribed later. A second pneumatic valve 18 is in communication with the safety valve 5 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 8, 1918.

Serial No. 67,052.

and is adapted to be operated in one direc tion by steam escaping through the valve 5 when the maximum safe steam pressure is reached, and to be operated in the reverse direction by compressed air from the reservoir 3 supplied through the pipe 9. Timerecording mechanism of any approved construction is housed in a casing 12 located in any convenient position in the cab of the lcomotive. An air cylinder 67 adjacent to the casing 12 is equipped with pneumatically operated means adapted to cooperate with the time recording mechanism housed in the casing, to make a complete record of the time that the safety valve is blowing olf into the cylinder 18. Within the cylinder 18 is a piston (not shown) adapted to be operated by steam flowing from the safety valve 5 into the cylinder while the safety valve is blowing 01f to open communication between the pipes 9 and 10. The pipe 10 conveys compressed air from the cylinder 18 into the cylinder 67 to cause the recording mechanism in the casing 12 to operate during the whole time that the safety valve is blowing off into the cylinder 18. I

The chamber 41 of the check draft valve 6 is in communication with the interior of the smoke box 2. A pipe 7 conveys compressed air from the interior of the valve 1 to the piston chamber of the valve 6.

\Vithin the valve 4: is a flexible disk 31 provided with a central stud 32 adapted to,

the valve is closed leaks through the port to the atmosphere.

A piston 38 is adapted to slide in the chamber 21. A spring 39 adapted to withstand normal working pressure of steam in the valve, acts on the piston 38 and through it on the disk 31 to cause the stud 32 to close the port 33. In case of excessive pressure the spring 39 will yield and permit the springy disk 31 to act to retract the stud 32, to permit steam from the chamber 21 to pass into the forward part of the chamber 22 to act on the piston 34.

A double piston 3-l is adapted to slide in the chamber 22. The pipe 7 is in communication with that part of the chamber 22 which is between the heads of the piston 34, and an exhaust port 40 is in communication with the same part of the chamber, so that tion to communicate-with the central'part of the chamber 22, has a. branch 36 in communication with that part of the chamber 22which is beyond the right handhead of the piston 34.

When the pressureiin the boiler .is greater than, the normal working pressure and less than the maximum 'safe pressure, the steam fIODJ'jthB'lOOllQI, entering the valve through the pipe .37, will act on thedisk 31 tocause it-tovretractj'the stud to uncover the port 33,and thereupon the Steam passing through the port 33 will act on the left-hand endof the piston to slide the piston to the right to cause the left-hand piston head to cover the port 40 and to cause the right-hand piston head to uncover the way 35. The air trapped in. that part of the chamber 22 beyond the right-hand piston head will be initially at reservoir pressure, but will be recompressed by the moving piston and when the steam pressure on the left hand end of the piston ceases the re-compressed air will act to slide the piston to the left to its initial position. When the piston 34 is at the right hand limit of its travel compressed air from the reservoir 3 will flow through the pipe 8' 1 and the way 35 to'the part of the chamber 22 whichfis between the heads of the piston 34 and thence through the pipe 7 .to the/interior of the valve 6.v I

The valve 6 has a flared base 42brigidly connected with the smoke .box 2, and pro-.

vided with openings 43 for admitting air to the chamber 44; it also has a cylindrical chamber 45, and a port 46 in communication with the pipe 7. A partition 47 separates the-chambers44 and 45.1 A valve stem 48 'isadapted to slide in a centralhole 49 in, the partition 47 A piston 50 rigid on the.

stem 48 .is adapted to slide inithe chamber 45.. A tapered plug 51, rigid on the stem,

48 is fitted to a tapered seat 52 in the base 42. A spring 53 surrounds the stem 48 between the piston 50 and the partition 47. In-

ward sliding of the piston to open the valve wlllcause compression of the spring, and

box. and thereby avoid sudden changes of 7 temperature in the box.

If cold air were admitted directly to'the smoke box it might cause sudden contraction of the metal and result inloosening the fines, or other injury to the boiler.

I am aware that check draft-valves in" conjunction;withthe.smoke boxes of locomotives have been used to check the draft and -thereby diminish the generating 7' of;

steam so as to prevent too frequent. and

unnecessary blowing off of the safety valve; Itherefore do not claim broadly a, draftcontrolling, valve in cooperation with a 1 safety-valve; but I am not aware of .the prior use of a pneumatlcally operated check;

valve cooperative with a working-pressure valve adapted to render the check valve ef: fective when the steam-pressure in the boiler is above the predetermined working pressure but below the maximum safe pressure.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a draft controller, the combination of ton as the piston reciprocates: automatic" means adapted toadmit steam at abnormal pressure against one end of the plston to slide the piston in one direction to re-com-v press air at the other end of the piston, and

adapted. to shut off the steam upon the cessation of the abnormal steam pressure and thereby permlt reverse slldlng of the piston by the re-compressed air; a draft-check valve hav ng, a cylinder and a piston shda- V ble in the cylinder; and means for conveying compressed air from the cylinder of the working pressure valve. into the draft-check:

valve cylinder to maintain reservoir pres sure on the draft-check valvepistonyall c0.-. v act ng 'tokeep the draft-check valve con-.

stantly open during abnormal steam pressure against the piston of the working presder to exhaust through the working pressure,

valve to the atmosphere.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed.

my name at Springfield, Illinois, this 16th day of September, 1915.

Witnesses:

C. F. BLACK, Geo. WAYsoN.

TURNEY n. BUCK.

Copies of this patent may be obtainedfor five cents each. by addressingthefCommbsioner of Patents, 7

Washington, D. C. 

